Transmission and steering mechanism for motor-driven vehicles.



,:H.',.H: SGHIBLER. TRANSMISSION AND STEERING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR DRIVENVEHICLES.

I Patented Nov. 25; 1913.

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' APPLICATION FILED MAR-16,1912. 1,079,607. Y

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H. H. SCHIB-LER. TRANS-MISSION AND STEERING MECHANISM 'FOR MOTOR DRIVENVEHICLES.

' APPLICATION FILE-D MAR. 16, 1912. 1,079,607.

Patentd 'Nov. 25,- 1913.

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f \\\\7 I 1 2 dcheZew H. H. SGHIELER. TRANSMISSION AND STEERINGMECHANISM FOR MOTOR DRIVEN VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 191-2.

Patented N0v. 25,.1913.

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I APPLICATION FILED MAR-16, 1912. I 1,079,607, Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

6 SHEETS-$HEET 4 H. H. SGHIELER.

TRANSMISSION AND STEERING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR DRIVEN VEHICLES.APPLICATION FILED MAR.16,1912.

Patented NOV. 25,1913

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11.11. SGHIELER. TRANSMISSION AND STEERING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR DRIVENVEHIGLES.

1 API LIIOATION I4ILED MAR. 16, 1912.

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ITED s rA'rEs PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY H. SCHIELER, OF MEADOWS, IDAHO, ASSIGNOR OF FOUR-TENTHS 'I'OTHOMAS BENTON SNYDER, 0F MEADOWS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IDAHO, AND TWO-TENTHS TO NATHAN H. HALL,

TRANSMISSION AND STEERING MECHANISM F013. MOTOR- DRIVEN VEHICLES.

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0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HARRY H. SGHIELER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Meadows, in the county of Adams and State of Idaho, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Transmission andSteering Mechanism for Motor-Driven Ve hicles, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to automobile vehicles of the class in which themotive power is connected, to the front-ax1e,'to which the steeringmechanism is also applied. "Trucks or wagons for heavy loads, fireenginesand other like vehicles can advantageously be equipped withdriving and steering mecha nism of this kind, and the object of myinvention is to so construct such mechanism that the motive power may betransmitted with the hi hest efiiciency and the vehicle may be easilysteered without in any way interfering with the transmission gears.-

It is important that there should be a spring oryielding connectionbetween the axle and the vehicle body, and that the axle should be freeto oscillate or rock vertically as well as to swing to a sufli cientextent to allow the vehicle to be turned quickly without interferencewith the drivin gear, and mechanisms for accomplishing t ese resultsform important features of my invention. It is also important that themotive power should be transmitted to the axle with the least possiblefriction or binding action; that the road wheels should. be capable ofbeing driven differentially; .that' means should be provided forpreventing the actuati-on of the steering mechanism by any verticalmovement :of the body relatively to the wheels, and that the mechanismshould be so arranged that it may be easily taken apart or applied toand separated from the vehicle These desirable features are em-- .bodiedin my improvements which are illusa detail sectional view, showing howdif,

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed March 16, 1912.Serial No. 684,236.

Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

wheels on the front axle to move at different speeds when the vehicle isbeing turned. Fig. 5 is a plan view taken below the vehicle body of thepedestal frame and some of the mechanism connected therewith. Fig. (3 isa perspective view of the annular spring supporting frame from which thehousing of the front axle and part of; the gearing is hung and which isprovided with t-runnions having tubular bearings for the motor-drivenshaft and the horizontal'shaft of the steering mechanism. Fig. 7 is aperspective view of one of the spring-supporting blocks arranged in thesides of the pedestal frame. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the.spring-supporting blocks tion of the frame which supports the motor.

Fig. 12 shows a front elevation of a modified construction-in which themotor shaft is connected with internal gears applied to the road wheels.Fig. 13 is a detailview, on an enlarged scale, showing the gearingpartly illustrated in Fig. 12. Fig. 14: is another view of the mechanismshown in Fig. 12, partly in plan and with parts broken away. I

In the first nine figures of the drawings I have shown a construction inwhich the body A of the vehicle'is constructed of I- beams, suitablyarranged and connected, although of course my invention is not limitedto such construction. The motor, of any suitable kind, may be located atany convenient .place either above -or below the body, but preferablybelow it. I have shown only the front axle and front wheels of thevehicle as my invention does not per.- tain to the rear axle and wheels,my purpose being to apply power only to the front axle although it isobvious that power "may be applied also to the rear axle if so desired.

The front axle, which carries the road wheels, B and C, is divided intotwo members D and D, to the outer ends of which the road wheels aresecured. The two mem= bers of the axle are in'line with each other,their innerends terminating a considerable distance apart to accommodatethe gearing hereinafter described. The axle -members have bearings intubular casings E,-E forming part of acentrally arrangedcasting F whichhas bolted to it.two removable sections G and G and the three parts F, Gand G, which constitute a' housing are flanged at g and bolted to acorrespondingly flanged cover H, which .is formed with an outwardly"?,proj ecting fltOp' f 'flange 'it that enters an annular groove "in theunderside of an anritilar supporting frame I. An an-- nular plate J," isbolted to the supporting frame Ibelow the-flange h and supports thehousing but permits the latter to turn relatively to the supportingframe, which frame I, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, is formed with 'atrunnion I'd; rough which the motor-driven shaft K extends and atrunnion I through which extends the horizontal shaft'L forming part ofthe steering mechanism.

To the underside of the front portionof the vehicle body A is secured apedestal frame M, which is clearly shown in side and front elevation inFigs. 1 and 3 and in plan in Fig. 5. This pedestal frame comprisestwoside members M", a front member'M and'a rear member M They are all ofpractically the same construction and contain the springs which form theyielding connection between the vehicle body and the axle. The sidepedestals M, as shown in Fig. 1, have openings on which receivespring-supporting blocks N ofzthe kind shown in Fig. 7. These blocks areformed with vertical flanges n and are adaptedto move up and down in theopenings m of the' side pedestals. The side springs 0 rest on the top oftheseblocks, the ends of the springs being under bolts P secured to theside members of the edestal. The blocks N carry rollers N w ich rest on'arms 11 extendin sidewise from the annular supp'ortin Trame I, and thearrangement is such t at the vehicle body may tilt or theaxle may tiltrelatively to the vehicle body without undue friction while the springsare free tr;- act in the usual way. In like manner the front and rearsprings Q, Q, are mounted within the front and rear members M, M of thepedestal frame. The

outer ends of the springs pass under bolts q attached to the pedestalmembers while-the lower middle portions of the springs rest on blocks R,R of the kind shown in Fig. 8 and which are adapted to move up and downin openings 7- formed in the pedestal members M M in which they areproperly guided by the flanges.

The trunnions I, I of the frame I have portions T, T which constitutejournals which allow the axle to oscillate or rock in a vertical planeto any desired extent. The rear journal T extends through a centrallyarranged openin in the rear block R, while the front journal extendsthrough an opening in the front block R. The shafts K and Lextendthrough the trunnions as shown in Fig. 1, and these shafts are arrangedin the central longitudinal axis of the vehicle and directly above theaxis about which the front axlebscillates. .By this construction thefront wheels and front axle are properly connected to the vehicle bodyin such manner that 'theaxle may be swung in. either direction to anydesired extent to turn the vehicle quickly, and the axle may tilt oroscillate to accommodate itself to inequalities in the road withoutunduestrain in the connections, and as will be hereinafter shown theconstruction is also such that the drivin and steering gear are notinterfered with yv such movements of theaxle. In order to steer, Ipreferably employ the mechanism shown where, as will be. observed, thehorizontal shaft L of the steering mechanism is connected by a bevelgear Z with an annular seriesof teeth Z formed on the flanged cover H ofthehousing. It a preferably in the'm'anner illustrated; that is to say,the shaft L carries two worm wheels .9, s which are loose on saidvshaft. Between these worm wheels is interposed'a pinion-carrying wheel'8 carrying a plurality of pinions '8 which mesh with the teeth at, w ofthe worm wheels 8, 8. This pinion-carrying wheel S is fast on the shaftL. The shaft S carries at its lower end a worm whe'el V which mesheswith the worm wheel 8 and the shaft S also carries a spur wheel '0meshing with an intermediate wheel 'v,-in turn meshing with a spur wheel'11? secured to another yvorm shaft V which gears with the worm wheel 3.The steering mechanism is supported by a bracket W, attached to thefront member M of the pedesta l. This mechanism. constitutes acompensating gear, and the construction is such that when the shaft S isturned in either directitn to operate both worms V, V motion will beimparted to the pinion-carrying wheel S about the axis of the shaft Land such shaft will be turned to steer the vehiios has bearings in theupper and lower I- beams 16, 17,, and the worm shaft is geared to themotor-driven shaft K by the gearing K, X illustrated which is similar tothat shown in' Fig. 1. The worm Y gears with worm wheels 20, 21 onopposite sides of the worm shaft and is inclcsed in cases 30atconnectedtherewith and may be easily sep-.

tached to the plates 14.- These wheels form I part of differentialgearing similar to that .shown in Fig. 4c and which is connected in thesame manner-to pinions 24 which mesh with the internal gear 25 of thewheels B and C. In other respects the construction and operation aresimilar-to those before described. As usual, a high'speed motor isemployed and reducing gear is interposed between the arated therefrom.The motor is so.sup: ported that the vehicle body can partake of itsspring motion without moving the m0- tor and the latter is in turnspring supported and oscillates or rocks with the axle, Not only'can theaxle andhousing be easily separated from the supporting frameI, but thelatter with th'ehousing and connected parts attached may beeasilyremoved from the pedestals; It will thus be seen that by providinga vehicle with a'suitable pedestal.

' frame having the characteristics of that shown my imprpvedtransmission and steering mechanism may, be readily .applied to vehiclesof ordinary construction.

I claim asmy invention: s, 1. In a-motor-drive1iivehicle,the'bombination with the-vehicle body, of a divide axle carrying roadwheels, means for pivotan connecting the-"axle with the vehicle body topermit it ,to turn about a vertical axis perpendicular to' and'in. thesame vertical plane with the longitudinal central axis vofthe vehicle, avertically arran, ,ed

worm mounted to turn about'an axis in line with the axis about which theaxle swings and in the same vertical plane as the longitudinal axis ofthe axle, means for rotating said Worm and gearing operatedby the wormfor'driving the road wheels and which freely swingsabo-ut the axis ofthe worm. with the axle when steering without turning the worm.

2. In a"motordriven-vehicle, the combination with the vehicle body, of adivided axle carrying. road wheels',mea'ns for pivotally connectingtheaxle with the vehicle .body

to permit it to turn about a vertical axis perpendicular to thelongitudinal central axis -axle swings and in the same vertical plane asthe longitudinal axis of the axle, means for rotating said worm anddifierent-ial gearing operated by the worm for driving the road wheelsand which freely swings around the axis of the worm with the axle whensteering without turning the worm.

3. In a motor-driven vehicle, the combination with the vehicle body ofan' axle carryingroad wheels, means for pivotally con-' nect-ing theaxlewith the vehicle body to permit it to turn about a vertical axisperpendicular to the longitudinal central axis of the vehicle, avertically arranged worm shaft carrying oppositely disposed worms andmounted to turn about an axis in line with the axis about which the axlewings, means for rotating said worm, and gearing operated by the wormfor driving the road wheels and which freely swings around the axis ofthe worm with the axle when steer ing. v

4:.' In a motor-driven vehicle, the combination with the vehicle body,of a divided axle carrying road wheels, means for supporting andconnecting the axle members and for pivotally connecting them with thevehicle body topermit them to turn about a vertical axisperpendicular'to the longitudinal central axis of the vehicle, avertically arranged worm mounted between the inner ends of the dividedaxle and arranged to turn about an axis in line with the axis aboutwhich n the axle swings and in the same vertical plane as the axis ofthe axle, means for rotating said worm, differential gearing operated bythe worm for driving the road wheels and which freely swings about theaxis of the worm with theaxle when steering without turning the worm andsprings interposed between the vehicle body and the axle supports. I

5. In a motor-driven vehicle, the combination with the vehicle body of adivided axle carrying road wheels, means for supporting the axle membersandfor pivotally connecting them with the vehicle body to permit them toturn about a vertical axis perpendicular to the longitudinal centralaxis of the vehicle, a vertically arranged worm shaft mounted to turnabout an axis in line with the-axis about which the axle swings,

' means for rotating said worm, worm wheels engaging the oppositelydisposed worms on opposite sides of the axis of the worm shaft, andgearing connecting each of said worm wheels with both of the axlemembers.

- 6. In'a motor-driven vehicle, the combinaterbalances or counteracts"each other and the shaft L is not rotated. I believe that it is newwith me to employ compensating gearing of this kind in the steeringmechanism of motor vehicles for the purpose specified.

The front axle, as before stated, is divided into two members D, D andthese are connected with the motor-driven shaft K in a novel way.Theshaft K carries a beveled pinion K which meshes with a'beveled pinionX on a vertically arranged worm shaft K which has anupper bearing in thecover H ofthe housing and a lower bearing in the lower'part of thecasting'F, as clearly shown in Fig. ,1. The-axis of this shaft isperpendicular tothe axis of the motor-driven shaft K- and is in linewith the axis about which the front axle swings. The worm shaft carriesa worm sleeve Y which is free to move endwise on the worm shaft butwhich is connected therewith by a spline y. That part of the worm sleeveY above the axis of the axlemembers is formed with a worm thread 'yturned in one direction while the lower part of the sleeve below theaxis of the. axle is formed with a worm thread'g disposed in theopposite direction. The worm y meshes with a worm wheel Y on ahorizontally arranged shaft Y mounted in bearings in the section G 'ofthe housing and this worm wheel carries pinions Y which mesh with bevelgears Y Y formedon sleeves y, 3 which carry spur wheels Z, Z which,

as shown in Fig. 9, mesh with pinions d, d

attached to the axle members D, D. In like manner the.worm g below theaxis of the frontaxle and on the opposite side there ofis geared in asimilar way to the" spur wheels d, d. The arrangement of pinions andwheels X Y Y etc., shown in Fig;

' 4, constitutes a differential gearing of well 'is swung, as in knowntype, and it is clear that when the worm is rotated about its verticalaxis motion will be transmitted to the two members of the axle so as tocause them to turn in the same direction but by reason of thedifemployed when the axle cated in Fig. 9, the road wheelflwhich swingsoutward and forward can move at a greater speed than its companion wheelwithout interference.

Animportant feature of the construction shown is that the strain on theworm sleeve is balancedn If only one worm were employed and this meshedwith. a single worm wheel there wouldbe a tendency, for the worm to moveendwise in its bearings and cause" an end thrust producing a bindingaction and a very objectionable friction but ferential gearing by the,arrangement shown where two worms are employed on'thesame sleeve thistendency is counteracted and the worm is made to float, as it were,between the two worm wheels endwise thrust being thus entirely avoided.The differential gearing and the worm gearing is contained within thehousing which, with the axle members, may be turned or swung in eitherdirection and may also rock or oscillate in a vertical plane withoutdisturbing the relation of the members of the gearing and inasmuch asthe transmission mechanism is located a considerable distance below thevehicle body the wheels may be turned around to an angle of 90 or to anyother desired angle to quickly turn the vehicle. It will be observedalso that the sections G, G of the housing may be easily removed forinspection: or repair and when these sections are removed the difierentparts of the gearing may be separated if desired. By merely removing thering J and supporting the vehicle body the front axle with its wheelsand the housing may be withdrawn from the vehicle, and in like mannerthe supporting frame I may be detached if desired as the partsconnecting it with the pedestal may be easily separated.

In the modification. shown in Fig. 1.0 the construction-for the mostpart, is substair tially the same as that before described but in thiscase the trunnion T is made solid "and the motordriven shaft K isomitted,

an electric motor 1 being employed to operate the worm shaft and thismotor is located directly over the worm shaft. As shown, the worm sleeveY is free to move vertically or endwise on the worm shaft which latteris also free to move vertically and has a sliding connection 2 with theshaft Z of the armature of the electric 1110- tor 1. This motor isprovided with laterally projecting arms 3 which rest on springs 4supported by a frame-5 attached to the supporting frame I, and said arms3 carry springs (5 on which the removable upper frame 7 of the motorrests. Rods 8 extend through the springs of the part 7 of the frame andare connected with the frame 5. By this arrangement the motor isyieldingly supported and the axle may turn and swing,

faswell as move vertically relatively to the vehicle body, withoutinterfering with the connection between the motor and the axle. In otherrespects the construction shown in Fig. 10 is the same as that beforedescribed. In Figs. 12, 13 and 14, I have shown a construction in whichinternal gears on the road wheels are connected with the worm Y inaccordance with the principles of my invention. The housing for thegearing and for the worm is somewhat modified. In this case a plate 10,carrying the teeth 11, meshing with the pinion Z of the steering shaftL, is provided with depending brackets 12, 13, to which metal plates 14are bolted and to the inner sides of the upper and lower portions ofthese plates are secured I-beams, 16, 17. The worm shaft 18 connectingthe axle members with the vehicle body to permit them to turn about avertical axis perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis of thevehicle, a vertically arranged worm shaft mounted to turn about an axisin line with the axis about which member on one side of the axis of theaxle,

and other gearing connecting the other worm wheel with the axle memberson the other side of the axis of the axle. 7 In a motor-driven vehicle,the combination with the vehicle body, of a housing supported by thevehicle body and mounted to turn about a vertical axis perpendicular tothe longitudinal central axis of the vehicle, means for pivotallyconnecting the housing with the vehicle body to permit said housing toswing about an axis in line with the longitudinal central axis of thevehicle body, a divided axle carrying road wheels, a vertically arrangedworm in line with the axis about which the axle swings and in the samevertical plane as the axle, difierential gearing connecting the wormwith the axle and a detachable section in the housing remov able forinspection and repair.

8. In a motor-driven vehicle, the combination with the vehicle body ofan axle carrying road wheels, a vertically arranged worm having gearingconnecting it with the axle and arranged in line with the axis aboutwhich the axle swings, a housing for said worm and gearing, anda framesuspending said housing and having a rocking connection-with the vehiclebody arranged in line with the central longitudinal axis of the vehicle.9. In a motor-driven vehicle, the combination with the vehicle body ofan axle carrying road wheels, a vertically arranged worm having gearingconnecting it with the axle, a housing for said worm and gearing, ahorizontally arranged frame for suspending said housing, and. tru'nnionson said frame mounted in bearings the axis of which is perpendicular tothe axis of the worm.

10. In a motor-driven vehicle, the combination with the vehicle body ofan axle car rying road wheels, a vertically. disposed Worm mounted toturn about an axis in line with the axis about which the axle swings andwhich is geared to the axle, asectional housing having a part in whichthe worm is mounted to 'turn and having removable parts to permit accessto the gearing, a flanged top for the housing, a horizontally arrangedframe which supports the housing and relative to which the housing mayturn about a vertical axis, and a rocking connection between saidsupporting frame nal axis of the vehicle, and a motor-driven betweensaid supporting frame and the vehicle body in line. with the centrallongitudishaft geared wlth the worm rotating about the axis on which thesupporting frame rocks and which isheld in gear with the worm inwhatever direction or to whatever extent the axle may be swung orrocked.

12. In a motor-driven vehicle, the combination with the vehicle body ofan axle carrying road wheels, a housing supporting the axle, amotor-driven shaft, gearing c0n-. necting the motor -driven shaft withthe axle, a rocking connection between the h0us-. ing and thevehicle'body in line with the central longitudinal axis of the vehicle,a horizontally arranged shaft geared with the housing for turnin thelatter about a vertical axis in line with the axis about which the axleswings, a steering shaft, and compensating gearing connecting thesteering shaft with the shaft geared to the housing.

'13. In a motor-driven vehicle, the combination/with the vehicle body ofan axle carrying road wheels, a housing supporting the axle, ahorizontally arranged shaft geared with the housing for turning it aboutan axis in line with the axis about which the axle swings, worm wheelsloose on said shaft, worms -on opposite sides of said shaft gearing withsaid worm wheels, means forturning said worms, and a pinion-carryinwheel fast on said shaft and gearing wit the worm wheels thereon.

' 14. In a motor-driven vehicle, the combination with the vehicle bodyof an axle carrying road wheels, springs interposed between the axleand' the vehicle body and I yieldingly supporting the latter, andsteering mechanism connected with the axle comprising a steering shaftmovable vertically with the vehicle body, a shaft geared with the axle,worm-wheelsolocs ely mounted on said shaft, 'a pinion-carrying wheelfast on said shaft and gearing with the worm wheels, worms on oppositesides of said shaft gearing, ith the worm wheels, and

gearing conn thing the steering shaftwith said worms.

15. In a motor-driven vehicle, the combination with the vehicle body ofa pedestal frame carrying the vehicle-supporting springs, aframe'vertically movable rela- 13-0 in line with the axis about whichthe axle swings, and means for rotating said worm.

16-. In a motor-driven vehicle, the combination with the vehicle body ofa pedestal frame detachably connected with the underside thereof,springs arranged in the pedes tal frame,- a horizontally, arranged framefor supporting the springs, an axle carryaxis-arranged in line withtheaxis a out which the axle swings, a motor-driven shaft for operatingsaid worm, a housing .sup-

porting the axle and detachablyx, connected with saidspring-supporting-frame, and a rocking connection between saidspring-sup-- porting frame and the pedestal frame arranged in thecentrallongitudinalaxis of the vehicle.

17. In a motor-driven vehicle, the combi-I nation with a high speedmotor, of a divided ducing gearing connecting the motorwith the twomembers of the axle comprising a worm arranged in the samevertical'plane as'the longitudinal axis of the axle and I mounted toturn about the axis on which the axle SWingS,,-Iand differential gearingconnecting the worm with the axle which freely swings around the axis ofthe worm with the axle when steering without turn- I ing the worm.

- 18. In a motor-driven vehicle, the combination with the steering axleof a motor arranged over the axle, a frame on which mg road wheels, avertically arranged worm geared with the axle and havin its the motor isyieldingly supported, body springs interposed between said frame and thevehicle body, a rocking connection between said' frame and the vehiclebody and reducing gear interposed between the motor and the axlecomprising a vertically arranged worm mounted to turn about the axis onwhich the axle swings, and gearing connecting said worm with the axle.

19. In a motor driven vehicle, the combination with the vehicle body ofan axle carrying road wheels, means for supporting the axle andconnecting it with the vehicle body and which include body supportingsprings, a vertically arranged worm geared to the axle, a motor arrangeddirectly over theworm and having a sliding connection therewith, andmeans for spring supporting the motor whereby the latter may movevertically relatively to the worm.

20. In a motor driven vehicle, the combination withfthe vehicle body ofa divided axle carrying road wheels, means for pivotally 00nnecting 'theaxle with the vehicle body to permit it to swing about'a vertical gaxis, a vertically arranged worm mounted steering axlecarrylng-roadwheels and r'e-.--

to turn about an axis in line with the axis about which the divided axleswings, means for rotating said worm and differential gearing operatedby the worm for driving the road wheels and which' freely swings aroundthe axis of the worm with the axle when steering without opposing orbeing oppose .by the rotation of the worm.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

- Witnesses:

LLOYD B: WIGHT, M. BURRELL;

HARRY H. soHI LEn. m

